Preparation for Inclusion in Teacher Education Pre-Service Curricula

TLDR

In the United States, inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms has been practiced and advocated for over two decades, involving collaboration between general and special education teachers. The authors examined 109 elementary education bachelor programs to quantify course hours devoted to inclusion, instruction, and management of students with disabilities. While most programs cover disability characteristics and basic classroom management, few provide coursework on instructional differentiation or collaboration between general and special educators.

Abstract

Inclusion of students with disabilities has been practiced and advocated for more than two decades in the United States. This practice involves the placement of students with disabilities in a general education classroom for part or all of the day, and the primary instructor is a general education teacher in collaboration with a special education teacher. The authors reviewed coursework related to inclusion provided to pre-service elementary teachers during their teacher preparation programs. A total of 109 elementary education bachelor’s degree programs were examined to determine the number of course hours devoted to inclusion, instruction, and management of students with disabilities. Results suggest that many teacher preparation programs provide instruction related to characteristics of disabilities and some form of classroom management; however, few programs offer courses specifically related to differentiation of instruction for students with disabilities or collaboration between general and special education teachers.